Die for cutting sheet material.



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T.LUND. DIE FOR CUTTING SHEET MATERIAL. I

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

1,097,247, I Y PatentedMay19,1914-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

EQYM

T. LUND. DIE FOR CUTTING SHEET MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

Patented May 19, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS LUND, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DIE FOR CUTTING SHEET MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS LUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Dies for Cutting Sheet Material, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention'relates to dies which are used for cutting or dieing out blanks of thin sheet material such as upper leather for boots and shoes, and contemplates the provision of means whereby such a die may be efliciently used for marking or ornamenting the blanks, simultaneously with the cutting operation.

More particularly the invention relates to the class of dies used with a clicking press to cut out blanks for the various parts of the uppers of boots and shoes and it is an object of the present invention to provide a die for use with a clicking press which besides cutting the outline of the blank, shall form thereon suitable marks for indicating the location of a line of stitching, ornamental or otherwise, or for indicating the lap of one blank over the adjacent blank. An important advantage of such a die is, that by its use the operations of cutting and marking for stitching or lap, heretofore separately performed, may take place simultaneously, resulting in greater economy of time and uniformity of product than was possible under former conditions. In my prior Patent No. 1,003,480, granted September 19, 1911, there is disclosed a die of this general character and in that patent generic claims have been granted which dominate the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed.

One object of the present invention is to provide a tracing or marking device of such a character that it may be used in combination with a double edged die of the type now in common use for cutting right and left blanks for uppers. In a die of this character the tracing or marking device must be supported from the interior of the die leaving the edges of the die clear and unobstructed forcutting the blanks. It is also essential that the tracer shall be mounted yieldingly with respect to the cutting edges of the die in order that blanks varying in thickness may be uniformly marked.

Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting whereby a tracer may be maintained in a definite lateral relation with the cutting portions of a die and independent thereof, while, at the same time, permitting the tracer to yield vertically during the cutting operation.

It has been found that a tracer comprising elongated members conformed to the contour of the desired stitching or marking, one for tracing and one for receiving the pressure and normally separated by resilient means disposed at intervals in their length, possesses the qualities above enumerated. Such a tracer has the further advantage that it leaves the center of the die practically unobstructed whereby the operator is afforded an unobstructed view of the stock about to be cut and of the cutting edges of the die, which permits imperfections and defects in the skin to be detected and avoided. Aside from its adaptability for use in double edged dies that construction which includes a tracing member and a similarly shaped pressure receiving member connected to the tracing member at separated points is advantageous because it insures a substantially uniform distribution of pressure to the tracing member throughout its length.

By causing the marking strips to occupy normally a position in substantially the plane of the cutting edges, said strips may serve to some extent as an ejector for expelling the blank when the cutting pressure is taken off the die, and such operation is contemplated by the present invention.

I/Vhile in some cases it may be preferable to form the operative edge or edges of the marking strips as a blunt creasing blade it has been found that by serrating the operative edge of the marking strip a more lasting impression on the blank is produced for a given pressure on the tracer.

The present invention accordingly includes within its scope the provision of a toothed or serrated marking strip adapted to use in either single or double edged dies.

In preparing blanks for the uppers of boots and shoes it is sometimes desirable to mark a certain number of the blanks for ornamental stitching or otherwise, while other blanks of the same size and style are to be used without such marking. In order that the same dies may be used for cutting marked or unmarked blanks it is necessary that the marking tracer should be detachable from the die.

lVith this end in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a die and tracer therefor of such construction that the tracer may be readily detached from or attached to the die, according to the conditions, and it is a. further object of the invenj tion to provide such an arrangement that: the attaching and detaching of the tracerf may be effected without the necessity of? loosening or removing screws or bolts.

A tracer of the character above described, v1z., one comprismg mark-mg strips nor- .mally separated by resilient means, may be detachably mounted in a die, preferably by;

connecting the guides in which the strips are mounted with a channel of such dimensions that the strips can not pass through the channel in their normally separated relation but when pressed together, either by hand or by suitable mechanical means, may be moved out of the guides through the channel and so detached from the die. Since the pressure required to hold together the marking strips during their removal is likely to be greater than can be conveniently exerted by hand, it has been found desirable to provide dies equipped with a tracer of the character discussed, with a simple mechanical device for pressing and holding together said strips for detaching the tracer.

Another feature of the invention, accordingly, relates to a device for this purpose which may comprise a pair of pivoted strip engaging members, the engaging faces of, which approach each other as the device as a whole is swung about the end opposite;

from the pivot.

lVhen the tracer is to be used for indicatg ing the amount of lap of one blank over? the adjacent blank it is advantageous to mount the tracer adjustably with respect to the cutting edges of the die in order that i the amount of l ap indicated may be varied E according to the number of lines of stitching I by which the blanks are to be sewed to get-her.

The lap allowed for sewing to gether blanks by a single line of stitching" should be obviously less than that allowed for two or more lines of stitching.

present invention consists in the provision tracer is mounted in slotted blocks which may be adjusted on the die carrying with them the marking strips of the tracer.

In addition to the advantages above enumerated, a tracer constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with dies of the skeleton frame type, that is, dies comprising a skeleton frame having the contour desired in the blank and'one or more blades attached to, and taking their shape from said frame. A tracer of this character may also be employed to a good advantage in a double edged die for cutting diflerent sized blanks by its opposite cutting edges since by ofisetting one marking strip with respect to the f other the proper location for the indications on each blank may be secured.

The advantages above set forth and others incident to the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of several embodiments of my invention selected for purposes of illus tration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a view in perspective of a double edged skeleton frame die for cutting tip blanks, the die being equipped with a tracer having a serrated marking edge; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a die for cutting quarter blanks, with a tracer having a continuous marking edge; Fig. 3 is a section on the plane 3-3 of Fig. '2; Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of an integral die for cutting tips, with a tracer having a serrated marking edge; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a die showing a detachable tracer and means for detaching the same;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the die shown in Fig. 5, the marking strips being held together for detaching; Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of a tip die with the tracer detached, showing the adjustable mounting therefor.

The tip die shown in Fig. 1 is of the skeleton frame type and comprises the frame 1, having the contour of its outer face conformed to the outline of the blanks to be cut, and the thin double edged cutting blades 2 and 3 secured to the frame by screws 8 and taking their shape from the contour of the frame. Mounted in proximity to the rear cutting blade of the die is a tracer for indicating the line of stitching upon the ti blanks cut by the die. The tracer comprises the two marking strips 4 and 5, the

ends of which are reduced and engage in Accordingly, still another feature of the slots in retaining members comprising the blocks 6 which are attached to the frame 1 whereby the marking strips are mounted within the die and guided for vertical movement with respect thereto. The marking strips are connected by resilient loops 7, preferably of steel, and are normally, but yieldingly, maintained separated and with their marking edges approximately in the plane of the cutting edges of the die. The resilient loops 7 may be reinforced by means of a block or strip of rubber 9, or other resilient material, interposed between the adjacent edges of the marking strips and between the arms of the resilient loops 7. hen pressure is applied by the arm of a clicking press, or other like means, to the upper edge of the die, the pressure is transmitted from the upper pressure receiving strip 4 through the loops 7 and the rubber strip 9 to the lower marking strip 5 which is pressed into the upper surface of the blank. As the pressure continues the blades of the die cut through the leather and the marking strip yields upwardly compressing the rubber strip 9 and closing the loops 7. It will be apparent that the yielding mounting for the tracer prevents the marking strips from cutting the leather and also insures an approximately uniform marking upon blanks of various thicknesses. hen the die is reversed the other marking strip operates in a similar manner to mark the blanks cut by the opposite edges of the die. It will be apparent that each marking strip when inoperative for this marking function has the function of a pressure receiving member and also of a carrying member for the strip which acts'upon the blank.

The operative edges of the marking strips of the tracer shown in Fig. l are serrated and will produce a row of indentations for indicating the line of stitching. A tracer of this design is advantageous in that it requires less pressure to produce a lasting impression than would be required if the impression were in the form of a continuous crease.

Fig. 2 illustrates a double edged quar-.

tor die of the type shown in Fig. 1. This die comprises the frame 12 to which are attached the thin cutting blades 14:, 16, 18, 20 and 22. WVithin the frame 12 are secured the vertically slotted blocks 40, 4:2, and 44 and slidingly mounted in said slots is the tracer comprising the marking strips 30 and 32. The block 44 is slotted at 43, and, as more clearly shown in Fig. 8, the ends of the marking strips are reduced for engagement with said slot. At the bend, the marking strips are provided with pins 47 which engage in the vertical slot in the block 42. The marking strips are connected by pairs of oppositely disposed resilient loops 34c and normally maintained separated, with their edges approximately in the planes of the cutting edges of the die, by the rubber blocks or strips 36. In this embodiment of my invention the operative edges of the marking strips take the form of blunt blades and will produce a continuous crease in the blanks cut by the die.

In Fig. at there is shown a single edged v die of the integral type comprising an open shallow frame 50, sharpened on one edge for cutting and conforming in the contour of its cutting edge with the outline of the blanks to be cut. The stitch line tracer comprises a single serrated marking strip 51 extending approximately parallel with the rear cutting edge of the die and mounted for yielding vertical movement with respect thereto by the resilient loop 52. The loop 52 is attached by one end to the inner surface of the die and extends at its upper side in the plane of the upper surface of the die whereby it may receive the cutting pressure of a clicking press, or the like, and transmit such pressure through the resilient block 53 to the marking strip.

Fig. 5 illustrates one form of mounting for a tracer of the class discussed which permits the tracer to be readily detached and removed from a die in case it is desired to cut unmarked blanks. To this end the block is provided with a channel or groove 61 communicating with the usual guideway slot or socket 62 in which the marking strips 32 and 30 are mounted. The channel extends vertically from the lower surface of the block 60 and then laterally and at the point where it opens into the guideway its width is just suficient to allow the passage of the ends of the marking strips when the strips are forced together and held in this condition. A convenient device for forcing said strips together and holding them during the process of detaching the tracer comprises the pivoted members 65 and 66, the member 66 having a hooked end 67 to engage the upper edge of one marking strip while the other member 65 is provided with notches for engaging the lower edge of the other marking strip. It will be seen that as the device is swung in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5 about the upper end of the member 66 the strip engaging faces will approach each other forcing together the marking strips by a toggle action and finally holding them in contact, or nearly so, when the two members are alined as in'Fig. 6. While the marking strips are thus held together the tracer may be removed from its guides and the die by moving it first laterally and then vertically through the channel 61.

As before suggested it is desirable that the tracer for indicating lap or stitching be adjustable to and from the cutting edge of the die in order to allow for variations in the number of rows of stitching to be used in sewing together the blanks. An adjustably mounted tracer is shown in Fig. 7, in which 70 indicates a tip die of the integral type having mounted on its inner faces blocks 71. curved slightly if necessary to correspond with the curvature of the die and slotted laterally at 72. Bolts 73 inserted from the i outside of the die project through the slots and by loosening the nuts (not shown) the blocks 71 may be adjusted to and from the rear cutting edge of the die. The blocks 71 are provided with the guideway slots 75 for receivin the ends of the markin stri as as already described. As illustrated in Fig. 7, 3

the block is also provided with a channel 7 6 whereby the tracer may be detached, al-' though this feature may be omitted if so desired. It will be clear that the adjustment of the blocks 71 carries the tracer nearer or farther away from the rear cutting edge of I equip dies having stiffening webs or bridges extending between their opposite sides with one or the other form of tracing device herein shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device for cutting and marking sheet material comprising a die having an endless cutting edge of the contour desired in the blanks to be cut, and a tracer mounted within and supported by the die, said tracer comprising an elongated strip extending at its ends adjacent to different sides of the die, being longer than the distance bet-ween said points and being bent in a plane parallel to the plane of the cutting edge of the die.

2-. A quarter die having a tracing attachment comprising a pair of parallel elongated strips, one for tracing and the other for receiving pressure and transmitting it to the tracing strip, one of said strips being connected to the die at points on the top and rear sides of the die and also at a point near the toe of the die, and spaced springs disposed at intervals for connecting one strip to the other.

8. A device of the class described comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, slotted blocks attached to the inner surface of said die, and a tracer comprising separate marking strips, the ends of said strips being slidably mounted in said slotted blocks.

t. A device of the class described comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, guideways located within the cutting outline of the die, and a tracer comprising separate marking strips, said strips being movably mounted in said guideways.

A device of the class described C0111- prising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, guideways located within the cutting outline of the die, a tracer comprising sepal rate marking strips movably mounted in said guideways and resilient means tending to maintain the marking edges to said strips in the plane of the cutting edges of the die.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a double edged die and a tracer for impressing an indication upon the blanks cut by either edge of the die, said tracer comprising a pair of marking strips and resilient connecting means whereby the two marking strips may have a relative movement during the cutting operation.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a double edged die and a tracer for impressing an indication upon the blanks cut by either edge of the die, said tracer comprising a pair of marking strips, resilient connecting means, and means interposed between said strips tending normally to separate them.

8. A device of the class described, comprising a double edged die and a tracer for impressing an indication upon the blanks cut by either edge of the die, said tracer comprising a pair of marking strips, a plurality of flat resilient loops connecting said strips, and means lying between the arms of said resilient loops and the adjacent edgesof said strips tending normally to separate them.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a double edged die having guideways located within its cutting outline, and a tracer comprising a pair of bent marking strips, each of said strips being provided with a projection at its bend, said projections and the ends of the marking strips being slidably mounted in said guideways.

10. A device of the class described. com prising a double edged die, marking strips movably supported at separate points upon the die and in vertical alinement, one above the other, and resilient means tending to maintain the marking edges of said strips in approximately the plane of the respective cutting edges of the die.

11. A die for cutting sheet material, having, in combination, a frame and cutting blades attached thereto, together with slotted blocks attached to said frame, marking strips slidingly mounted in said slots, and resilient means tending normally to maintain the operative edges of said marking strips substantially in the plane of the cutting edges of said blades.

12. A die for cutting sheet material, having, in combination, a frame and cutting blades attached to the outer faces of said frame, together with slotted blocks attached to the inner face of said frame, marking strips slidingly mounted in said slots, and resilient means tending normally to maintain the operative edges of said marking strips in approximately the plane of the cutting edges of said blades.

13. A device of the class described, comprising a die having a socket with a tortuous path leading thereto, and a tracer mounted within the die constructed and arranged to be detached from said die by movement through the tortuous path.

14. A device of the class described, comprising a die having a socket with an opening extending first laterally and then vertically and a tracer mounted for yielding movement within said die and arranged to be detached therefrom by a lateral and then vertical movement through the opening.

15. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, and a tracer comprising normally separated marking strips, and a mounting for said tracer having an opening so narrow as to permit the removal of the tracer only when the marking strips are forced into proximity.

16. A die of irregular form having a continuous cutting blade and a stiffening web rigid with said blade and interposed between opposing portions of theinner face thereof, parallel members supported by said web, and a yielding marking blade supported by said members.

17. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, and a tracer comprising normally separated marking strips, a mounting for said tracer having a guideway and a channel connected with said guideway, in combination with means for forcing together and holding said strips in such position for detaching said tracer from its guideways.

18. A device of the class described, comprising a die having guideways and a channel, a tracer mounted within the guideways, said tracer comprising marking strips and resilient means tending normally to separate said strips, in combination with two pivoted members having strip -engaging faces constructed and arranged to force said strips together when said pivoted members are swung about the end opposite from their pivot, whereby the marking strips may be forced together and removed from the guide ways through the channel.

19. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, and a tracer for indicating a line of stitching or lap upon the blank during the cutting operation, said tracer being mounted in said die and being adjustable laterally to and from the cutting edges thereof.

20. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, a tracer carried by the die and ar ranged for indicating a line of stitching or lap upon the blank during the cutting opera tion, said die having adjustable members for retaining said tracer, and means for maintaining said adjustable members in a predetermined position with relation to the cutting edges of the die.

21. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting the outline of a blank, a tracer for indicating a line of stitching or lap upon the blank during the cutting operation, said tracer being mounted within the die for yielding vertical movement, and means for adjusting said tracer laterally with respect to the cutting edges of said die.

22. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting sheet material, members mounted for lateral adjustment with respect to the cutting edges of the die, and a tracer mounted for yielding vertical movement upon said laterally adjustable members.

23. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting sheet material, members mounted for lateral adjustment with respect to the cutting edges of the die, guideways formed in said adjustable members, a tracer mounted insaid guideways, and a channel connected with said guide ways for permitting the tracer to be readily detached.

24. The combination of a double edged die for cutting sheet material with an adjustable and detachable tracer mounted therein for indicating a line of stitching or lap upon the blank during the cutting operation.

25. The combination of a double edged die, comprising a skeleton frame and thin cutting blades rigidly attached thereto forming an endless cutting edge with an adjustable and detachable tracer yieldingly mounted within said die and adapted to indicate a line of stitching or lap upon a blank during the cutting operation.

26. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, retaining members independently adjustable toward and from one portion of said die and a tracer attached to said adjustable members for marking the blanks cut by the die.

27. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, retaining members independently adjustable toward and from one portion of said die, and a tracer connected with said adjustable members and vertically guided thereby.

28. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, retaining members independently adjustable toward and from one portion of said die, a tracer movably connected with said adjustable members, and a spring bearing on said tracer.

29. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, retaining members independently adjustable toward and from one portion of said die, a tracer movably connected with said adjustable members, and a plurality of springs bearing on said tracer at separated points in its length.

30. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, a tracer mounted therein, an overlying member shaped to correspond substantially with said tracer and resilient means interposed between said member and tracer.

31. A device of the class described, comprising a die for cutting blanks from sheet material, a tracer mounted therein, an elongated pressure receiving member shaped to correspond substantially with said tracer and located above the tracer, and resilient means interposed between said member and tracer.

32. A die having a cutting edge and a pressure receiving edge in combination with a tracer yieldingly mounted therein, a pressure receiving member having its upper surface located substantially in the plane of the pressure-receiving edge of the die, and springs interposed between said member and tracer.

33. Acdie for cutting sheet material having a cutting edge and a plane pressure re ceiving surface, in combination with a tracer mounted within the die, and U-shaped springs disposed with their sides substantially parallel to the plane of the die for supporting said tracer.

34. A die for cutting sheet material in combination with an elongated tracer having a portion of curved outline, and means for connecting the tracer to the die at both ends and at a point in the curved portion of they tracer.

35. A die for cutting sheet material in combination with an elongated tracer having two portions extending at an angle to each other and a curved connecting portion, said tracer being connected to the die at each end and at a point in its curved portion.

36. A die for cutting sheet material in combination with an elongated tracer having an intermediate portion bent in a sharp curve, and means for connecting the die and tracer including a stud projecting from the convex side of the curved portion of the tracer.

37. A reversible die having a tracing device comprising two separated members one of which is constructed and arranged to crease the leather and the other to receive and transmit pressure to the first mentioned member, said members having similar outer edges whereby their functions may be interchanged when the die is reversed.

38. In a device of the class described the combination with an upper cutting die, of a tracer comprising a pair of separate members, and springs connecting said members at intervals in their length and being secured to the members in pairs upon opposite sides thereof. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS LUND.

Witnesses HERBnR'r 'W. KENWAY, ARTHUR L. RUssELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

